Ara Ara Arc
by Mallobaude
Summary: Jaune hadn't thought that a mission escorting children to school could be fun, exciting, or rewarding. He was about to find out just how wrong he was. Spoilers for Volume 7 Episode 5 inside. Cover art by Eunnieverse.


When Jaune had been tricked into accepting this mission, he couldn't hide his disappointment. Nor could his friends hide their amusement at the idea of him playing babysitter to a bunch of pre-primary school children. It seemed as if he had gone back in time to Beacon Academy when he was still the butt of everyone's jokes. The hapless boy stuck in the tree who no one could take seriously.

Then he had seen them. Their smiling faces as they trotted alongside him. The looks of comfort and reassurance in uncertain times.

This was all worth it.

"Okay, soldiers," he announced, standing in the middle of the crosswalk with a bright red stop sign in one of his hands. "We're almost there, so step to it! Don't wanna be late for class, do we?"

There was a collective groan from the gaggle of children who hurried their way across the street. Jaune smiled at their response. It seemed that no matter where you grew up or how old you were, school was never fun. Never exciting. Never something to look forward to.

He wondered if they would change their tune should any of them ever attend a huntsman academy.

The last of the kids, a blonde wearing a red coat, moved past him and toward the other side of the street. Jaune followed after, escorting the last of his charges to the safety of the sidewalk. Not that there was any real danger down here, but it made the parents happy.

By the gods, did it make the parents happy.

A glance behind him showed that the usual crowd had gathered to watch him at work. Not that he could really call being a mother duck leading her ducklings to safety work. Still, he served a purpose here, and that alone made him feel helpful. Help was usually rewarded. He never thought being a glorified crossing guard could be so rewarding. How wrong he was.

"Another successful mission, junior huntsmen and huntresses!" he playfully declared to the children who had gathered by the fence surrounding the school's playground. "Now you all run along and have fun until the bell rings. I'll be back to pick you up after school."

Without a word the kids turned and fled through the opening in the fence to enjoy what little free time they would have before school began. Jaune breathed a sigh of relief. Despite the fact that he knew there was no danger in this duty, the idea of being responsible for other people's children was a daunting task. One that would never allow you to relax or let your guard down until the job was done.

He was done now, however. And that meant he could return to Atlas Academy and rejoin his friends. He would grab something to eat, maybe get a little training in, and by then it would be time to come back down and grab the kiddos for the return trip to their homes.

As he turned on his heel and prepared to catch a transport back up to Atlas, he was stopped in his tracks by an all too familiar sound.

"Jaune~~!" a feminine voice sang.

He winced, turning around to see his gathered fan club. Six women, the mothers of the children he had just successfully brought to school, stood around in a cluster, all eyes focused on him.

The young man forced a smile, bringing his hand up and waving hesitantly at them. "Oh, hey, ladies…"

"Hey, big boy!" another called to him.

"Have your arms gotten even bigger since yesterday?"

He had no idea how they'd be able to tell that while he wore his shirt and armor, but then again the question probably wasn't a genuine one.

Someone whistled at him. Another winked. Eyebrows waggled. A kiss was blown in his direction. One turned around and proceeded to drop a lien note on the concrete before bending over agonizingly slowly to retrieve it.

_Yoga pants…_ Jaune's mind gasped.

"We'll see you back here at three, right?" one of the women called out.

The blond boy shook his head, momentarily distracted by the tight-fitting pants the mom wore. _Do not show weakness,_ his brain ordered. _If they smell blood in the water they will tear you apart._

"Y-yeah," he called back. "A huntsman always sees his mission through to the end."

There was a collective cooing among the women. He had just said the magic word. _Huntsman_. In times like these, the people of Mantle needed security. They craved it like they did food and water. Seeing Jaune, a strong, young man on patrol down here, more specifically with their children, must have been a dream come true for these citizens of the northern kingdom.

He received waves as some of the women turned to leave, satisfied that they would be seeing their favorite crossing guard again in a few hours. Another licked her lips like a predator who had just sighted her prey, relishing the thought of devouring a hot, meaty meal. Their flirtations always made his heart race, but he knew deep down that they were also _wrong_. Who knew how many of them had husbands? Who knew if they were simply playing around and messing with him? It wouldn't have surprised him if that's all it was. Just teasing the newly-promoted huntsman and trying to get a rise out of him. They certainly succeeded in that.

Jaune made his second attempt to leave, but for a second time was turned around by someone calling his name.

"Oh, Jaune!"

Again he spun around, but this time was thankful that the crowd had dissipated. All but one woman.

Cassy. Clad in her usual red coat and brown knee-high boots, the blonde woman strode toward him with a smile on her face.

"O-oh, hey, Cassy," he smiled himself. "What can I do for you?"

The woman stepped up close to him as she always did. After all, she had been the one providing him with a fresh, homemade casserole every morning. She was about Ruby's height, and like his friend she had to crane her head up to look him in the eye. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

It took Jaune a moment, but it finally clicked. "Oh, right!" he said suddenly. Letting the strap of his backpack fall from his shoulder and down his arm, Jaune grabbed it and zipped it open to reveal its precious cargo. "I totally forgot, but I did remember." He winced. "If that makes sense."

Cassy smiled, her light brown eyes doing the same. They were the color of milk chocolate. She was as sweet as it too. "And you even washed it. Ever the gentleman."

Jaune blushed, smiling softly as he was forced to avert his gaze from hers. "Of course I did. I always wash the casserole dish before bringing it back. It's the least I can do for your kindness."

"And baking you a casserole is the least I can do for yours," she countered, poking him in the breastplate with a finger. "You have no idea how much it means to us that you're looking after our boys and girls when there could be a Grimm on the loose at any time."

Though Marrow had said that the mission posed no danger, that wasn't entirely true. With the outer wall of Mantle breached, and negativity surging through the populace, a rogue Grimm could appear at almost any time. And it could cause a tragedy before Atlesian soldiers or huntsmen could put it down.

Maybe he really was making a difference. Maybe his presence here really was good for more than peace of mind.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I'm… I'm happy to help."

He handed her the dish, expecting it to be the end of their exchange. To his surprise, she didn't have a fresh casserole in her hands waiting to trade him for. He was sure that Nora would be disappointed about that. To be honest, he was too.

"Jaune, can I ask you for a favor?"

He was shaken from his thoughts by the question. "Sure thing, Cassy. What's up?"

"Well," the blonde woman started, her head turning down to stare at the pavement. "It's just, I was wondering if you could walk me home today. I kind of got separated from the others just now, and I'd feel better if you could take me back to my apartment."

Blonde bangs hung in front of her face as she refused to meet his gaze, and Jaune could tell that she was nervous. Usually she was so cheerful and forward when she practically shoved her homemade casseroles into his arms. Now, however, she seemed genuinely concerned with making the return trip home alone.

A huntsman couldn't allow that. He was here for the people.

"Of course," he said warmly. "I'd be honored."

The words seemed to perk Cassy up immediately, and those warm, chocolate eyes stared up intently into his own once more. "Great!" She grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him behind her with strength surprising for that of a mere civilian. "It's this way."

_She sure perked up quickly…_

Jaune didn't need to be told twice, and quickly followed behind the woman. Her short legs moved with surprising energy, and Jaune found himself having to walk at his normal pace to keep up with her. She must have been scared and eager to get home quickly. Mantle must have been a truly scary place to live in right now.

Maybe he should try to change the subject in order to reassure her.

"You know, me and my friends really appreciate all the cooking you do," he said as they walked. She still hadn't relinquished her grip on him, however now instead of clamping down on his wrist she had shifted to squeeze down on his fingers with her own. Whatever made her feel safe, he supposed. "It's really delicious. And we love having a nice, home-cooked meal while we're staying at Atlas Academy. It makes the place feel more like home."

"I'm so happy to hear that," she replied. She slowed down as well, her new pace allowing her to walk side by side with the huntsman. "Like I said, it really is the least I can do for all of the… service you provide."

Jaune shrugged, embarrassed at the praise. "I mean, it's really not all that much," he admitted. "I could take a Grimm or two if they showed up, no problem. My friends are the ones dealing with the scarier missions right now."

"There's no such thing as a little mission when it comes to Grimm," she argued. "It may not be a big deal for you, but if even a single baby Sabyr showed up I wouldn't stand a chance."

Jaune hadn't thought about it like that. True, a single Grimm was no longer a challenge for him, but for a civilian like Cassy it would be the end of the world. The end of her world, and her daughter's.

"You're right," he agreed, his head suddenly on a swivel now as he searched for potential threats. "I'm sorry."

He felt her arm brush up against his as she pressed herself closer to him. "Oh don't be, honey. It's just… I really appreciate what you do. We all do."

Jaune smiled down at her, seeing the top of a head of blonde hair that hovered close to his shoulder. "Huntsmen live to serve and protect humanity. Like I said before, it's an honor to help. Being a hero, that's what I've always wanted to do with my life. It feels really nice to be able to play the part now."

"We need heroes now more than ever," Cassy said. There was something about her voice which almost seemed sad, and Jaune wasn't about to ask what. In the end she wound up revealing that secret on her own. "My late husband passed away from a Grimm attack. He was in the Atlesian army."

Jaune was glad he hadn't pressed the issue, but at the same time didn't know how to deal with this new information even if she had brought it up on her own. "I- I'm so sorry," he rushed to say. "He was a hero for sure then." His own thoughts went to Pyrrha, and the ultimate sacrifice she had made fighting the forces of darkness as well. "The best people in the world seem to be the ones who get taken from us."

He hadn't realized it, but her head had found its place on his shoulder. He felt it rub against his arm as she nodded. "Yes. But it's been almost five years now, and I… while I haven't forgotten it, I've moved past it. Tragedies stay in our hearts forever, but that doesn't mean we have to let them hold us back forever."

The words were surprisingly deep and meaningful. And all too true as well. Seeing the statue of Pyrrha in Argus, speaking with that woman who must have been her mother… those things had helped Jaune move past his own loss as well. He was ready to move forward. To live the rest of his life. To be the hero and the man he had always wanted to be.

"But I didn't ask you to walk me home to talk about the past," Cassy continued, her head coming up and turning to peer into his eyes. "So tell me about your friends. The ones who enjoy a little home-cooking."

The words brought a smile to Jaune's face. "They're all so great," he said without even thinking. "Ren and Nora are my teammates. Ren's a little quiet, but Nora totally loves the casseroles. She could probably eat the whole thing by herself if we challenged her to do it."

Cassy giggled, the musical tone of her laughter making her sound ten years younger than she actually was. Then again, Jaune had no idea how old she really was. She appeared to be in her late twenties, maybe early thirties. Judging by the age of her daughter that wasn't out of the realm of possibility. Perhaps she and her late husband had their child at a young age.

"And then there's our sister team, Team RWBY. Literally sister team, since there's four girls. Ruby, which I know is totally confusing but it's spelled a different way. And there's Weiss, yes that Weiss, the Schnee Weiss. Blake makes the B in the team, and Yang is Ruby's sister. They're all a lot of fun. Ruby was actually my first friend way back at Beacon Academy."

Cassy smirked as she stared up at him, the wry little smile on her lips betraying the question she was about to ask. "My, my. And which one of those lucky ladies is your girlfriend?"

Jaune forced out a small laugh, shaking his head softly as he thought about the simpler times back at Beacon. "Well, none of them," he admitted. "There was a time I kinda chased after Weiss, but, well, she was super out of my league back then. Still is now. I was a lot dumber back then and more annoying. I can see why she wasn't into me."

The feel of an arm hooking around his own, and a body squeezing close to his earned Jaune's attention. Cassy had upgraded from holding his hand to linking her arm around his own. Her gaze never left his, however.

"Is that so?" she asked. "Well that's the Schnee girl's loss, if you ask me. I don't know what you were like back then, but you're quite the handsome gentleman now."

Jaune smiled, feeling warm inside from the earnest compliment. Or maybe he was warm because the red-jacketed woman was pressed up against him. In any case he appreciated the kind words from Cassy. "Thanks. I've done a lot of work to become who I am today."

"I'll bet." She glanced away momentarily before continuing. "So… none of them are your girlfriend? What about someone back home?"

"Nope. This Arc is single."

"My, my…"

"To be honest I'm not exactly looking for a long-term relationship right now either," he admitted. Not when there was so much on his plate. Not when the fate of the world hung in the balance. Dating could have been fun at Beacon, but he didn't think that casual romance would work right now when there were so many more important things to do.

"Neither am I," Cassy agreed. Jaune could see why. Despite it having been a few years since her husband had passed, she probably had a lot on her plate as well. A single mother working to support her daughter didn't have much time to date.

Cassy's feet ground to a halt, and Jaune stopped with her. They stood in front of a modest apartment building in downtown Mantle. The neighborhood didn't seem too bad, but then again it was rush hour in the morning. At night it could be a totally different world.

"So here we are," Cassy said, sounding a little excited in her tone. She was probably just happy to be safely home once more.

"Right. So… I'll see you later today I guess?"

"Jaune," the woman said, her head tilted ever so slightly as she peered up at him.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me. Do you like… tuna?"

It took only a second for Jaune to respond. "Well, yeah. Growing up with seven sisters you get used to having to eat cheap sometimes. So tuna is something I kinda grew up on."

To his surprise, Cassy chuckled. "Oh, honey. You are too precious sometimes."

Jaune's own head tilted in confusion. "I am?"

"Anyway, I was wondering if you would maybe like to taste my tuna."

It suddenly clicked for Jaune. Nora would be happy later today. "Oh, you mean like another casserole?"

"No, dear. I'm not talking about casserole."

"Well that's okay. If your tuna is anything like your other cooking I'm sure it'll be delicious."

That mischievous little smirk once more graced Cassy's lips, and that predatory look he had seen from the other mothers suddenly appeared in her eyes. "Trust me, Jaune. You're going to _love_ my tuna…"

Cassy led him up the steps and through the front door of the apartment complex. As they strode up the flights of stairs he got a prime look at the back of the light brown pants she wore underneath her coat.

_Wow, going up all these stairs definitely counts as a lower body workout…_

Jaune shook his head, averting his eyes from checking out the toned rear-end of the mother. He shouldn't be thinking those kinds of things about someone who was so kind and generous.

After climbing up four stories of the building they entered the hallway and made their way down to the woman's place. Her scroll unlocked the door and she pushed it open, gesturing Jaune to follow. "Right this way, sweetie."

Her nicknames were sweet and disarming, like she was talking to her daughter. He wanted to point out that he wasn't a child anymore, but at the same time didn't want to ruin the good rapport they had.

Stepping inside the apartment, he saw a simple but not barren living room. While Cassy didn't live in luxury, it wasn't poverty either. She had all of the basic living amenities like a sofa, a coffee table, a TV, among other small pieces of furniture and knick-knacks. He imagined places like the kitchen and her bedroom were the same. He wondered if all people in Mantle were this well-off, or if maybe she was one of the luckier ones.

"Make yourself a home, Jaune," Cassy said as she removed her red coat and threw it down on the couch. "Let me just… wash a few dishes so that I can get your treat ready."

Seeing as he was a guest in her home, and she was about to prepare him some sort of tuna-based dish, Jaune did not want to feel like a freeloader. "Please, allow me to help."

Cassy held his gaze for a few seconds before smiling and nodding. "Sure. Right in here."

She led him into the kitchen, where she moved over to the sink where a few pots and dishes sat. Turning on the faucet, she grabbed hold of the small hose meant for rinsing soap off, but the sudden water pressure seemed to make her lose control. Water went spraying in all directions as she squeezed down on the trigger, soaking herself, and then Jaune, with warm water.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry!" she said quickly before shutting the thing off. She hurried over to him, concern in her wide, chocolate eyes. "Are you okay?"

Okay? He'd tangled with gigantic creatures of Grimm before. A little water wouldn't hurt anything but his new hairdo. "I'm fine, no worries," he reassured her.

It apparently didn't seem to sink in for the woman that she hadn't hurt him. She grabbed hold of the straps connecting his armor to his chest and began tugging away at them. "You have to take these off," she grunted with effort as she straps began to loosen one by one. "And that shirt too. You'll catch a cold if you wear those wet clothes. Please, take them off and let them dry."

"But it's actually pretty warm in h-"

"I said take them off!"

The sudden authoritative voice of Cassy sent him into shock, and like a cadet being shouted at by his drill instructor, immediately began to strip the armor off. He set the pieces down on the floor until he stood in just his blue jeans and black shirt.

"Your shirt is soaked too," she pointed out. "Take it off and I'll hang it over the radiator so it will dry."

"Yeah, but… what will I wear?"

"Relax. Like you said, it's warm in here. Besides, I have a way to keep you warm."

Jaune swallowed, but nodded. The wetness on his shirt was starting to become bothersome, and his nipples were a little bit hard from the cooling water sitting on them.

He reached down and pulled the shirt up over his head, revealing a toned, muscular torso for Cassy to see. And see it she did. So much more than that. The woman stared. Gawked. He could swear there was a small trail of drool dripping down the woman's lip as she drank in the sight of his huntsman-trained chest and abs.

"C-Cassy?" he asked nervously. "What was that thing you said about having a way to keep me warm?"

The woman shook her head, and Jaune couldn't help but think that it was the same reason he had done so many times before as well. She had been stirred from her own thoughts. Thoughts as she stared at the bare chest of the young man who stood in her apartment.

The reality of the situation suddenly dawned on Jaune. It had been easy to forget as they shared a real, heartfelt conversation on the way here, but Cassy was just like any of those other women he had seen for the past few days. A thirsty MILF who had been flirting with him for days now. Now here he stood, alone in her apartment and without a shirt. Her intentions became crystal clear as the woman reached down to grab the hem of her own shirt.

_Tuna…_

"Oh yes, I have a way to make you feel very warm, Jaune," she purred as she lifted the shirt clear over her head, allowing her shoulder-length blonde hair to fall on the red bra she wore. "Underneath the covers next to me it will be very warm…"

Jaune gulped, taking a step back. Still, his eyes were glued to the beautiful body that the single mother possessed. "Are you trying to seduce me, Miss… Miss… I- I don't even know your last name, Cassy."

The woman took a few purposeful strides toward him, her hips swaying every step of the way. Her arms reached up to rest her hands on his shoulders, pulling herself close to him until their chests touched. "Is it working?"

Feeling the effects in his tight blue jeans, Jaune could only nod. "Yeah. It's working."

Her head tilted slightly to the right. "Well then it's okay if you don't know my last name. I'm not looking for anything long-term, and neither are you. All that matters right now is that we have the place all to ourselves until school lets out."

The place all to themselves. Jaune may not have been the sharpest sword in the arsenal, but even he knew what Cassy was getting at. "Um…" was all he could muster as the shock of her advances were still settling on him.

"So you don't need to know my last name, dear," she whispered as she pulled herself up closer toward his lips. Her own brushed against them. "For the next six hours, the only name you need to call me is _mommy._"

Jaune's mind and body had enough, and in one fell swoop he swept Cassy off her feet and carried the half-nude woman to her bedroom.

* * *

The sound of the door opening earned Nora's attention, and she looked up from her scroll to see her missing team leader enter the dorm room of Atlas Academy. Usually after his daily escort missions he would be back by around ten in the morning, but it was four in the afternoon. Something had definitely gone awry today, if his disheveled hair was anything to go by.

"Whoa, Jaune!" the ginger girl exclaimed, throwing herself out of bed to stand before her tired-looking friend. "You look beat today! Did something go wrong?"

The blond boy shook his head, the ghost of a smile forming on his face as he did. "No, nothing wrong. Very right."

Nora frowned, not understanding how he could possibly say such a thing when he looked like he did. "Was there a Grimm attack or something? I thought Marrow said this whole school children thing was super safe?"

"Oh, right. That." Nora's frown deepened. What did he _think_ she had been talking about? "Yeah, that went great. Super good. No problems there."

"Then can I ask why you look like you just got done tangling with a whole nest of Lancers? And why you're back six hours later than usual? I mean I get that this is normally the time you'd come back bringing the kiddos home from school, but you never even came back this morning! You were out all day, and I wanna know what gives!"

Jaune set his scroll down on one of the tables in the room, before turning toward the bathroom door. "Maybe later, Nora. Right now I could use a shower. I, um, got really sweaty."

Nora pouted as she saw her leader shut the door behind him. He was hiding something. She just knew it. You didn't spend nearly two years around a guy without learning some of his quirks. Jaune liked to deflect and distract. She didn't know what it was he was hiding, but she would figure it out…

The buzzing of his scroll earned her attention, and a wide grin split her face. Maybe this would give her some information.

Typing in the scroll's pass code that Jaune thought was a secret from her, she unlocked the device and saw that he had a new text message.

"From 'Mommy'?" she asked aloud to no one but herself. "Jaune, do you really still call your mom mo…mmy…"

Opening up the message, the words died on her lips as she saw a blonde woman with light brown eyes as the attached picture. At least she would have focused on the colors of her hair and eyes, if the rest of her wasn't completely nude, exposing every inch of her flesh in the picture. Only after staring at it for long seconds did Nora realize that the woman was smiling and winking into the camera.

"W-what? Who? When?" the redhead stuttered.

The door swung open, revealing Jaune in nothing but a towel. His eyes met Nora's, and they both simply stared at each other when he realized that she was holding his scroll.

"Nora?" he asked cautiously. "Did… did I get a text?"

She nodded wordlessly.

Jaune stomped over, snatching the device from her limp fingers. Staring down at the screen he sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head softly.

"Um, Jaune?" she asked slowly. "Please tell me that's not your actual mom."

"It's not," he admitted, much to her relief. "It's… one of the moms of the kids I was escorting this morning."

She nodded in understanding. Now that the shock had worn off, and the truth had been revealed, Nora gained a semblance of her confidence back. A little bit of her teasing as well.

"Wow, someone's been busy down in Mantle," she smiled. "When they said 'taking kids to school', I didn't think they were talking about _you!_"

"Nora!"

"So, Jaune. What's _mommy_ been teaching you that made you all sweaty today?"

For long seconds Jaune said nothing. He only spoke when he turned around and marched back into the bathroom. "I need a shower," he reiterated.

Nora grinned as the door shut behind him. This was going to be too much fun. Wait until the others found out that Jaune had bagged himself a hot MILF.

Atlas suddenly became much less cold after this new revelation.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So with the new episode I felt inspired to write a new ship. Jaune x thirsty mom. It sucks that the blonde-haired, red jacket-wearing MILF doesn't have a name. But seeing how she gave Jaune a casserole, I decided to name her Cassy. It just fit. Also, my thanks go out to **RumbleintheDumbles** from the Spacebattles forum for naming this wonderful new ship: Casseroleplay.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this little piece of crack comedy. I sure did enjoy writing it, doing nearly 5,000 words in just a couple hours.

Thanks for reading.


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